Infantry missile for combat against ground targets

ABSTRACT

Infantry missile for combat against ground targets. For a missile which is to have an essentially flat trajectory, there is provided a smooth cylindrical body portion and associated therewith a forwardly sloped surface which during flight will cause the missile to assume a trim angle capable of guiding it in a substantially horizontal flight path. In one embodiment, said forwardly sloping surface is at the forward end of a forwardly projecting horn-like detonator, in another embodiment the forwardly sloping surface is at the end of the otherwise cylindrical body part and in a still further embodiment said surface is on the lower side of the missile body as diverging upwardly flared surfaces. To assure that the missile promptly assumes the desired attitude, means are also provided for guiding it from the launching tube in an attitude whereby its central longitudinal axis is already at the desired trim angle with the central longitudinal axis of the launching tube.

United States Patent [1 1 Schnabele et al.

[ Mar. 4, 1975 INFANTRY MISSILE FOR COMBAT AGAINST GROUND TARGETS [75]Inventors: Werner Schnabele, Wolfratshausen; Georg Knoche, Furth; FritzZeyher, Ottobrunn, all of Germany [73] Assignee:Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH, Munich, Postfach, Germany [22] Filed:May 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 358,079

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 10, 1972 Germany 2222785 [52]US. Cl. 244/3.1 [51] Int. Cl. F42b 15/18, F42b 15/10, F42b 13/00 {58]Field of Search 244/31 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,459,198 6/1923 Dunejeff 244/31 1,896,515 2/1933 Huffman 244/313,086,467 4/1963 Gallagher et a1. 244/31 3,132,587 5/1964 Fuller 244/313,401,637 9/1968 Briscoe 244/31 Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. BorcheltAssistant Examiner-Thomas H. Webb Attorney, Agent, or FirmWoodhams,Blanchard and Flynn [57] ABSTRACT Infantry missile for combat againstground targets. For a missile which is to have an essentially flattrajectory, there is provided a smooth cylindrical body portion andassociated therewith a forwardly sloped surface which during flight willcause the missile to assume a' trim angle capable of guiding it in asubstantially horizontal flight path. In one embodiment, said forwardlysloping surface is at the forward end of a forwardly projectinghorn-like detonator, in another embodiment the forwardly sloping surfaceis at the end of the otherwise cylindrical body part and in a stillfurther embodiment said surface is on the lower side of the missile bodyas diverging upwardly flared surfaces. To assure that the missilepromptly assumes the desired attitude, means are also provided forguiding it from the launching tube in an attitude whereby its centrallongitudinal axis is already at the desired trim angle with the centrallongitudinal axis of the launching tube.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures RJEN EEUHAR 41975 sum 1 95 3 INFANTRYMISSILE FOR COMBAT AGAINST GROUND TARGETS The invention relates to aninfantry missile for combat against ground targets.

Such missiles may be constructed symmetrically with respect to rotationand may be stabilized on their path of flight by a rotational movementabout their longitudinal axis. In addition, wing-stabilized andnonrotating missiles are known, as for example described in theOerlikon-Taschenbuch, Zurich-Oerlikon 1956, Page 134 and the followingand Page 151 and the following.

Particularly for infantry combat with ground targets at distances up to500 meters it is desired to simplify the sight and directive tasksforthe launching personnel by straightening the path of flight of themissile substantially and as much as possible up to an approximatelystraight line. Thus, with such a path of flight of the missile, there isno necessity for adjusting the sight or the directive angle of thelaunching device, even for different distances to the target.

However in using the above-mentioned missiles, it is not possible toobtain an almost rectilinear path of flight even within this distancerange, unless the launching speed of the missile is greatly increasedover present practice. This, however, would mean that an extremely highgas pressure would be needed in the launching device which would resultin the launching device becoming at once heavier and more bulky. This inturn would make it impossible for a single person to operate andtransport the launching device and/or the missile. Nevertheless, therequirements of infantry are strongly for an easily manageable weapon sothat troops can react flexibly to quickly changing combat conditions.

German Auslegeschrift No. 1,094,159 discloses a missile which isaerodynamically stabilized by an annular wing and rotates about itslongitudinal axis, on

- which missile is secured a pendulum which is not af- V sible even withaccurately manufactured ball bearings the manufacture of which inaddition is complicated and expensive. Due to the frictional forcesinthe bearing, variations in the interference surface with respect toits zero position will occur so that the aerodynamic moments which acton the interference surface outside of its zero position may move themissile from its desired path of flight.

Since in addition the annular wing of this missile is connected to themissile body through struts, pressure differences can occur on thesestruts which here lead to aerodynamic lateral moments and to a lateralacceleration of the missile. Since, however, this lateralacceleration issuperposed to the earth acceleration which aligns the pendulum, thependulum which carries the interference surface is adjusted into thedirection resulting from these two accelerations so that the missile asabove described is again deflected from its desired path of flight.

Further, as a result of such deflections, additional lateralaccelerations act onto the missile and the pendulum whereby the pendulumwill be continuously newly aligned following one of the describedcorrections of the flight of the missile so that the direction of thependulum no longer coincides with the direction of earth acceleration.As a result of this, the pendulum will adjust itself according to anapparent perpendicular and the missile will describe a spiral around theactual nominal flight path.

It will be apparent that such a construction of a missile is notdesirable since it cannot provide a controllable accuracy of tire.

Furthermore it is known from German Patent No. 931,267 to mount at thehead of a rotationally stabilized missile an interference surface whichcan intermittently be extended from the missile body. By controlling thefrequency of appearance of this interference surface a desired,including rectilinear, flight path can be obtained. However, in thissystem a constant rolling frequency of the missile is absolutelynecessary because the extending frequency of the interference surface iscoupled with it. Thus, inaccuracies in the rolling frequency again causedeviations of the missile from its nominal flight path. In addition, thecontrol of the interference surface itself particularly after a longperiod of storage of the missile is a possible source of trouble.

A missile is known from Austrian Patent No. 57,039 which'has at itsfront part extendable stabilizing surfaces which also serve forstraightening the flight path. However, this device, due to the requiredextending mechanism, is mechanically expensive and also after a longperiod of storage the missile may no longer be fully operative. v

The purpose of the invention is to construct a simple and at the sametime sturdy infantry missile for combat with ground targets in such amanner with respect to its shape and operation that it cannot bedeflected by aerodynamic interference forces from a straight, preferablyrectilinear, path of flight. Furthermore such a missile should be easyto handle and continue operative even after a long period of storage.

This purpose is attained according to the invention by providing amissile body which is symmetrical with respect to rotation, the rearpart of which is constructed as a cylinder or cone jacket in order toachieve a path of flight which is free of spiral movements and isaerodynamically stable and by providing fixed trim means for achieving astraight, preferably rectilinear path of flight.

The advantages of such a missile are obvious:

The basic form which is symmetrical with respect to rotation permits arecognizably simple manufacturing procedure for the missile. By notusing movable parts, struts or stabilizing wings rough handling of sameis also permissible Without danger of damage. Furthermore, by thisconstruction, storage is simplified in that it is now easy to stack themissiles.

Also the flight characteristics of the missle are improved compared withthose of the known missiles because pressure differences which occur onthe periphery of the missile body, which is symmetrical with respect torotation during the flight, due to a lack of a point of application,cannot result in rolling or lateral flight path.

- not change its rolling position after launching for a distance ofseveral hundred meters, which corresponds approximately-to the normalrange for firing on tanks or similar targets. Onth'e other hand, thetrim means fixed tothe missile always maintains the desired fixedreference position required for obtaining a straight According to afurther embodiment-of the invention the trim meansis constructed as asloped forward end closure of a horn-like extension of the missile whichhorn-like extension extends forwardly in direction of z the longitudinalaxis of the missile.

The horn-like, in most cases an ignition device carrying, extension andsloped end can be manufactured easily with the highest precision innormal construction of the missile. The trim moments which must therebybe produced are sufficiently great to achieve a straight justment, attargets which are located at varying distances.

In addition a simple manufacture of the missile is obtained, accordingto a further embodiment, in that the trim means is constructed as aforward sloped end for the frontpart of the missile body.

The stable rolling position of the missile which has been confirmed bythe tests can according to a further embodiment of the invention befurther maintained in thatthe missile has in at least a portion of thelower missile body keelmeans aligned in direction of the longitudinalaxis. This principle of stabilization of rolling position is alreadyknown in other fields, for example, in aircraft construction in theV-position of aircraft wings. The keel means may of course itself beconstructed as a trim surface.

' The trim means affixed to the missile has the effect that after thelaunching from a launching device the missile is adjusted by aerodynamicmoments which engage the trim means after a certain time of flight to atrim anglevin'relation to the tangent to its flight path.

Since it is desirable, in view of the desired straight flight path, toachieve the adjustment of the missile to the required trim angle asearly as possible, according to the invention the missile is guidedwithin the launching'device itself at an angle with respect to thelongitudinal nd embodiment of the invention;

FIGS is a side view of said second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a missile according to a thirdembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectionalside view of the missile accordingto'the first exemplary embodiment during the launching from a launchingdevice. 1

A missile I having a missile body which is symmetrical with respect torotation is aerodynamically stabilized by a cylindrical jacket 2. Thefront end of the missile 1 includes a 'cylindrically shaped horn-likeextension 4 which is positioned symmetrically to its longitudinal axis3, which contains a not-illustrated impact detonator and which is closedin front by a sloped trim surface 5. As soon as the missile has beenlaunched, aerodynamic forces will act onto this trim surface 5, whichforces position the missile at the trim angle a with respect to the pathof flight indicated by the arrow 6 in FIG. 1. The angle 7, which theplane of the trim surface 5 defines, is so chosen with respect to thelongitudinal axis 3 of the missile, that the path of flight of themissile is rectilinear within the projected range so that onesharpshooter can effectively aim for different distances without sightadjustment.

Since aerodynamic disturbance forces which could result in rollingmovements of the missile l are only small because of the arrangement ofthe trim surface,

which arrangement is symmetrical to the longitudinal axis 3 of themissile, a separate rollingposition stabilization of the missile 1 isnormally not necessary. Same can, however, be obtained in a simplemanner by providing, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the missile l in thelower area of its missile body with keel means which stabilizes it withrespect to the earth gravitational field. The keel means 7 can therebybe slightly angled with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 of themissile so that it itself serves as a trim surface.

As is illustrated in FIG. 4, the front end of the missile 1 can besloped and serve as trim surface 5. The hornlike extension 4 does notneed to be sloped in this case and may be rounded off or as illustratedclosed off rectangularly. I

The specific arrangements and constructions of the trim surface are setforth above only as examples; other forms are, of course, possible andwill be apparent to a man skilled in the art and working in this field.

In order that the missile immediately after launching assumes the trimangle with respect to its path of flight, two sliders 9 and 10 areprovided in the launching de vice 8, see FIG. 4. The slider 9 has at itsupper end an extension 11 which grips around the missile at its rear inthe area of the cylinder jacket 2. This causes the cylinder jacket to beurged in its lower part against the launching tube 8. At the same timethe slider 10 which in its thickness equals the extension 11 is mountedin the front zone of the missile 1 so that the forward part of themissile is urged against the upper wall of the I launching tube 8. Assoon as the missile 1 leaves the launching tube the slider 10 isexpelled from the launching tube and the missile l is already at thetrim angle a with respect to its path of flight 6.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood thatvariations or modifications thereof which lie within the scope of theappended claims are fully contemplated.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A nonrotationalinfantry missile, launchable from a launching deviceprimarily for combat against ground targets, comprising:

a cylindrical body, the rear part of said body comprising means forachieving an aerodynamically stable flight position without missilerotation, such means defining a hollow cylindrical jacket;

a cylindrical forward extension coaxially fixed to said body;

lift producing trim means fixed on the missile for straightening theflight path of the missile to make said path substantially rectilinear.

V 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said lift producing trim meansis a forwardly facing but sloped planar face centered on the centralaxis of the missile and arranged for lifting the forward end of themissile to a trim angle with respect to the path of flight.

3. The-apparatus of claim 2, in which said trim means comprises a slopedfront end closure face on said fixed extension.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said trim means comprises a slopedclosure face defining the front of said cylindrical body and from whichsaid extension forwardly extends.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including keel means formed in a lower partof said cylindrical body and extending substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said missile.

' 6. The apparatus of claim 5, inwhich said keel means is somewhatinclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the missile and hassloped, somewhat forwardly and laterally outwardly facing surfacesdefining said lift producing trim means and converging keel-like forproviding additional roll stability.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said hollow cylindrical jacket hasan open rear end, and including a substantially forwardly facing linearprofile closing the front of said body outward of said forward extensionand being angled somewhat from a radial plane of the missile, said liftproducing trim face being sloped downwardly during missile flight, saidtrim face having a central portion at least close to the missilelongitudinal axis, said face being disposed at least near the front ofthe missile and ahead of said jacket.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said trim face is forwardly spacedalong the missile axis from said sloped linear profile, said linearprofile consisting of a shallow conical closure surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said trim face defines said linearprofile, said trim face being somewhat downwardly facing butpredominately forwardly facing and extending the full cross section ofsaid body outside the periphery of said forward extension to providesaid body with a skewed forward end.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, in'which lower forward portion of saidcylindrical body has convergent planar relieved areas meeting at thebottom thereof to define said keel means for additionally stabilizingthe missile against rolling motion while in flight.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the launching devicev comprises alaunching tube, and including holding means slidable axially within thelaunching tube and releaseably bearing on the missile body when in saidI launching tube for holding said missile body with its longitudinalaxis inclined at an angle a to the longitudinal axis of the launchingtube and with the forward end of said missile body thus elevated in thelaunching tube during launching, said holding means being adapted tofall away from said missile body when leaving the launching tube, saidtrim means comprising a surface oriented to maintain the missile axisforwardly elevated at a trim angle to the missile flight path afterlaunching, said angle a being substantially equal to said trim anglewhereby said missile is propelled from said launching tube already atsaid trim angle with respect to its flight path.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which said holding means comprisesspaced rear and front sliders, said rear slider comprising a transversemember spanning the interior cross section of the launching tube andhaving a forwardly and upwardly sloped front face abutting the rear endof said jacket, said rear slider having at its upper end a forwardextension which grips around the rear area of said jacket for urging thelower portion of such jacket against the bottom peripheral wall of thelaunching tube, said front slider being normally disposed between thebottom peripheral wall of the launching tube and a forward portion ofthe missile body and corresponding in thickness to said extension ofsaid rear slider so as to urge the forward part of said missile. bodyagainst the upper peripheral wall of the launching tube.

13. A method of launching a nonrotational missile from a launchingdevice for achieving a rectilinear path of flight, comprising;

loading the missile in a tubular launching device with the longitudinalaxis of the missile forwardly and upwardly inclined at an angle a withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the launching device; propelling themissile forceably toward the outlet end of the tubular launching devicewhile maintaining said inclination angle a between the axes thereof andwithout rotation of the missile with respect to the launching device,said maintaining including radial holding of the rear end of the missileby a first holding member against one longitudinal portion of theinterior of the launching device and holding a diametrically opposed andforwardly displaced portion of the missile against a diametricallyopposed longitudinal portion of the interior of the launching device bya further holding member and propelling of said first and furthermembers with said missile along said tubular launching device; releasingsaid members from said missile as said missile and members leave saidlaunching device and said missile starts upon its path of flight;configuring a longitudinally short portion of the missile with a slopedtrim surface having generally forwardly facing and downwardly facingcomponents of slope for immediately and thereafter maintaining themissile axis inclined to its path of flight at a trim anglesubstantially equalling said inclination anglea.

1. A nonrotational infantry missile, launchable from a launching deviceprimarily for combat against ground targets, comprising: a cylindricalbody, the rear part of said body comprising means for achieving anaerodynamically stable flight position without missile rotation, suchmeans defining a hollow cylindrical jacket; a cylindrical forwardextension coaxially fixed to said body; lift producing trim means fixedon the missile for straightening the flight path of the missile to makesaid path substantially rectilinear.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, inwhicH said lift producing trim means is a forwardly facing but slopedplanar face centered on the central axis of the missile and arranged forlifting the forward end of the missile to a trim angle with respect tothe path of flight.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said trimmeans comprises a sloped front end closure face on said fixed extension.4. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said trim means comprises a slopedclosure face defining the front of said cylindrical body and from whichsaid extension forwardly extends.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 includingkeel means formed in a lower part of said cylindrical body and extendingsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said missile.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5, in which said keel means is somewhat inclined withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the missile and has sloped, somewhatforwardly and laterally outwardly facing surfaces defining said liftproducing trim means and converging keel-like for providing additionalroll stability.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said hollowcylindrical jacket has an open rear end, and including a substantiallyforwardly facing linear profile closing the front of said body outwardof said forward extension and being angled somewhat from a radial planeof the missile, said lift producing trim face being sloped downwardlyduring missile flight, said trim face having a central portion at leastclose to the missile longitudinal axis, said face being disposed atleast near the front of the missile and ahead of said jacket.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7 in which said trim face is forwardly spaced alongthe missile axis from said sloped linear profile, said linear profileconsisting of a shallow conical closure surface.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 7 in which said trim face defines said linear profile, said trimface being somewhat downwardly facing but predominately forwardly facingand extending the full cross section of said body outside the peripheryof said forward extension to provide said body with a skewed forwardend.
 10. The apparatus of claim 5, in which lower forward portion ofsaid cylindrical body has convergent planar relieved areas meeting atthe bottom thereof to define said keel means for additionallystabilizing the missile against rolling motion while in flight.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1, in which the launching device comprises alaunching tube, and including holding means slidable axially within thelaunching tube and releaseably bearing on the missile body when in saidlaunching tube for holding said missile body with its longitudinal axisinclined at an angle Alpha to the longitudinal axis of the launchingtube and with the forward end of said missile body thus elevated in thelaunching tube during launching, said holding means being adapted tofall away from said missile body when leaving the launching tube, saidtrim means comprising a surface oriented to maintain the missile axisforwardly elevated at a trim angle to the missile flight path afterlaunching, said angle Alpha being substantially equal to said trim anglewhereby said missile is propelled from said launching tube already atsaid trim angle with respect to its flight path.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11, in which said holding means comprises spaced rear and frontsliders, said rear slider comprising a transverse member spanning theinterior cross section of the launching tube and having a forwardly andupwardly sloped front face abutting the rear end of said jacket, saidrear slider having at its upper end a forward extension which gripsaround the rear area of said jacket for urging the lower portion of suchjacket against the bottom peripheral wall of the launching tube, saidfront slider being normally disposed between the bottom peripheral wallof the launching tube and a forward portion of the missile body andcorresponding in thickness to said extension of said rear slider so asto urge the forward part of said missile body against the upperperipheral wAll of the launching tube.
 13. A method of launching anonrotational missile from a launching device for achieving arectilinear path of flight, comprising; loading the missile in a tubularlaunching device with the longitudinal axis of the missile forwardly andupwardly inclined at an angle Alpha with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the launching device; propelling the missile forceably towardthe outlet end of the tubular launching device while maintaining saidinclination angle Alpha between the axes thereof and without rotation ofthe missile with respect to the launching device, said maintainingincluding radial holding of the rear end of the missile by a firstholding member against one longitudinal portion of the interior of thelaunching device and holding a diametrically opposed and forwardlydisplaced portion of the missile against a diametrically opposedlongitudinal portion of the interior of the launching device by afurther holding member and propelling of said first and further memberswith said missile along said tubular launching device; releasing saidmembers from said missile as said missile and members leave saidlaunching device and said missile starts upon its path of flight;configuring a longitudinally short portion of the missile with a slopedtrim surface having generally forwardly facing and downwardly facingcomponents of slope for immediately and thereafter maintaining themissile axis inclined to its path of flight at a trim anglesubstantially equalling said inclination angle Alpha .